Jersey County Index of Burials – Surname Ba – Be

Thanks to Marty & Ronda Crull, Bob French, Gary Clendenny, the late Edith Zimmerman and the late Gene Prosser for this information. The majority of the information is from actual cemetery readings. The remainder is from the collections of obituaries and the funeral records at Jersey County Historical Society, the old newspaper collection at the Jersey County Historical Society and microfilm newspapers from the Jerseyville Library, transcribed by for the most part by Grace Gettings and Marty Crull. Copying expenses and related costs for the project were from Ronda Crull and the Tri County Newsletter.

BALCOM researcher notes: I think part of the problem lies in the fact that most of McDow burials do not have tombstones and that the name of the cemetery is not clearly stated anywhere. An 1872 plat map of Otter Creek has a cemetery located on land owned by a William McDow. This cemetery has been referred to as Ferguson, McDowell, and Otterville Cemetery. Gladys Drainer states that the proper name of it is McDow and the Drainer addition has just been added recently. I am not good with directions; so I will do my best to explain its location. If you are at the four way stop in Otterville with Hamilton School on your right, you want to take a left turn and drive a short distance till you see a headstone that reads ‘Ferguson’ on it. That is McDow Cemetery. As for the Methodist Cemetery. I have no clue as to where it is. I have copies of death certificates and funeral records and obituaries for John (1858 to 1924) and Fannie and obituaries for several others.

McDow Cemetery a.k.a Ferguson, McDowell, Otterville Methodist ?? The pension records for my great great great Grandfather William (1833-1874) state that he died March 13, 1874 near Otterville, no place of burial is listed.

A cousin emailed me that grandfather William was born September 2, 1833. Grandfather William served under Captain William Hart as a Private in Company D of the 27th Illinois Infantry. So I believe that the William Balcomb that was laid to rest in Salem Cemetery and my G G G Grandfather William are one in the same. Two William Balcom(s) serving under Captain Hart does seem possible. As for the letter ‘b’ being at the end of last name on the headstone it is possibly a spelling mistake. All the records I have, have it spelled Balcom. Allen L. Austin, [email protected]

3 Comments

Allen Austin
on December 18, 2016 at 4:41 pm

Update: December 2016. McDow Cemetery has been known by many names over the years. McDow, McDowell, Methodist Evangelical, Gowin, Hagen, Picket, Ferguson and Drainer and Otterville and Noble. There is a Noble Cemetery and it is north of Otterville. McDow is south of Otterville. If needing additional information on Balcom family or those that married into the family. Contact Allen Austin at [email protected]